Wagon-frame



(No' Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1.

s. A. RICHARDS.

WAGON FRAME.

No. 371,864. Patented 001;. 18, 1887.

WITNESSES I IJVVEJVTOR d, X

.dttorneya (No Model.) 2 sheets-Shasta S. A. RICHARDS.

WAGON FRAME.

No. 371,854. Patented Oct. 18, 1887.

WITNESSES I I I flttornegp N PETERSv Pholvljlhagnphcr. Washington. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT EETQE.

SAMUEL A. RICHARDS, OF NOVA, OHIO.

WAGON-FRAME.

. SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 371,854, dated Qetoioer 18, 1887.

Application filed May 11, 1887. Serial No. 237,885.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL A. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Nova, in the county of Ashland and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Wagon-Frames, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in wagon-frames; and it consistsin the construction and arrangement of the parts ofthe same, which will be more fully hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

The object of my invention is to provide a wagon-frame which is specially adapted for use in connection with heavy wagons, and which is simple and effective in its construction, strong and durable,easily handled, and readily understood and operated, positive in its result, readily applied in connection with any form of wagon, and cheaply manufactured. I attain this object by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawiugs,wherein like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views, and in which- Figure 1 is aperspective "iew of my improved wagon-frame. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 8 is a longitudinal vertical section. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the whiffletree removed. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 00 x of Fig. 4:-

A indicates the axle-beam, on the top por- .tion of which tongue-hounds B are secured and project outwardly in front of the said axle-beam A and to the rear thereof, and are united in their rear portions by a curved beam, B, and in their front portions have a casting, B to which they are rigidly secured and diverge from said casting toward the rear beam, B. On the top portion of thesetonguehounds Ba bolster, O, is secured, in the central portion of which afifth-wheel or steeringplate may be secured, and above the said bolster G thewagon-bolster O is mounted,and between the two bolsters O and G the reach D is secured by the king-bolt E, passing therethrough and through the said bolsters G and O and down through the axlebeam A.

In the forward part of the tongue-houndsB B a small cross-beam, b, is secured, having a spring-plate, b, secured to its under side and projecting forward therefrom on a slight downward incline. The casting B is hollow and (No model.)

open on its under side, and is adapted to re ceive the inner end of the pole or tongue T. This pole or tongue T has suitable metallic bearing-plates t secured thereto, which bear against the inner sides ofthe casting B and prevent wear of the said tongue by the said casting. The forward portion of the said casting 13 is formed with two curved recesses, b*, which are adapted to receive the hinge-rod t, formed integral with the plate t which is secured to the top portion of the tongueT. The extreme rear portion of the tongue T is provided with a metallic lug, t, which is adapted to bear against the spring I), secured to the cross -bar b, as hereinbefore set forth. By means of this spring bearing upon the rear end of the tongue T the pole is cushioned in its action and is held in a straight line with,

the frame entire, thereby taking a great deal of strain off the necks 0f the animals,- as will be readily understood.

To the rear portion of the casting B two ears, 5*, are formed, which embrace a curved arm, 22 which is pivotally connected in said ears 1*. The outer end of this arm I) is pro vided with an aperture, through which a bolt passes, and is held thereby, and which unites the singletree F, and also retains the pole or tongue T. This hinged arm b being in the form of a hinged clevis renders it convenient for the application and adjustment of the singletree in connection with the frame, as it may be readily thrown backward out of the way when the singletree is about to be inserted. It also forms a rigid means for retaining the bolt passing therethrough when the several parts are connected and prevents the same from becoming lost or displaced.

To the rear portion of two sides of the east ing B two brace-rods, G G, are secured, and, curving slightly outward, pass over the bolster C, and are connected to the rear portion ofthe tongue-hounds B B. At the point wherethese two brace-rods G G terminate a cross-brace, G, is secured by the same bolt which passes through the end of the braces G G. To the under side of each of the tongue-hounds B B another brace-rod, H, is secured to the same bolt which passes through the braces G at this point, the said brace H passing down under the axle-beam, to which it is'secured by suitable bolts, and thence upward under the IFO tongue-hounds E, where it is secured to the bolt connecting the upper brace, G. Short braces H H are secured to the sides of the tongue-hounds B B, and extend down under the axle-beam A, where they are secured by suitable bolls. By means of these braces the several parts of the frame are constructed to resist strain brought to bear thereupon, and at the same time provide a light and compact construction. The novelty and utility of my improved wagon-frame being apparent, it is unnecessary to further enlarge upon the same herein.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination of the tongue-houndsB B, the casting B", the cross-beam b, having a spring, b, secured thereto, the tongue T, the bearing-plates t, and the plate t, having the integral catch-bar t, substantiallyas described.

2. The combination,with the tonguehounds B B, united at their rear ends, of the curved cross-beam B, the casting B to which the front ends of said tongue-hounds are secured, the cross-beam b,the spring b, secured thereto, the ears b, the hinged clevis b the singletree F, the tongue or pole T, having the metallic projection t in its rear portion engaging with the spring b, and the bearing-plates t having the rod t in connection therewith, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with thetonguc-hou nds B B, of the open casting B connected to the front meeting edges of the said hounds, the removable tongue adapted to be mounted in said casting B, the axle beam A, and the braces G G, H, and H, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the tongue T, having the catch-bar t, of the casting B and the hounds B B, substantially as described.

5. The combination,with the tongue T, having the catch-bolt t and lug t and the casting B, of the hounds B B, the cross-stri p b, and the flat spring-plate b, substantially as described.

6. The combination of the tongue-hounds B B, the casting B the cross-beam b, the spring b, the ears I), the hinged clevis b the braces H, H, and G, the tongue T, and the catch-bar t, substantially as described.

7. The combination, with the hounds B B, having the hollow casting B arranged at their front meeting ends, of the whiffletree F and the tongue T, the hinged arm b causing a kingbolt in its free end to pass through the whiffietree and tongue, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL A. RICHARDS, Witnesses:

J. S. MILLER, GEO. J. FREY. 

